Speed changing and reversing mechanism.



J. R. SCHULTE.

SPEED CHANGING AND REVERSING MECHANISM.

. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 4. 19:4.

Patented June 27, 1916.

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l. R. SCHULTE.

SPEED CHANGING AND REVEBSING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 4, I914.

Patented June 27, 1916.

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J. R. SCHULTE. SPEED CHANGING AND REVERSING M ECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 4, 1914.

Patented June 27, 1916.

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JOSEPH R. SCHULTE, OF VJALFORD, IOWA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 27, 1916.

Application filed December 4, 1914. Serial No. 875,469.

To all whom it may concern Besit known that I, JOSEPH R. SoI-IULTE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at l/Valford, in the county of Benton and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Speed Changing and Reversing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new an d useful improvements in speed changing and reversing mechanism.

Th primary object of the device is to provide arrangements of gear sets whereby the direction and speed of a driven shaft may be readily controlled relatively to the engine drive shaft and is especially adapted for employment upon motor vehicles for providing any desired number of speeds ahead and reverse speeds.

A further object is to provide means between the engine or power shaft and a driven or service shaft whereby upon the manipulation of suitable levers, the driven shaft is made to revolve at different speeds invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in'the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view taken through the device, a portion of the parts be ing shown in side elevation and the driving and driven shafts broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken upon line IIII of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view taken upon line IIIIII of Fig. 1. Fig. l is a perspective detail view of elements of the reversing gear portion of the device detached. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the clutching means of the reversing gear andsome of the adjacent elements detached. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the handle portions of the operating levers and the guide rack therefor, and Fig. 7 1s a'perspective view of one form of clutch shoe employed with the speed changing gear. 7

The mechanisnrdesigned for accomplishing the enumerated objects consists of sets herein illustrated and described. For the purpose of this description, these two units are positioned for making operative connectrons between a driving or power shaft 10 direct from the engine or motor and a driven or service shaft 11 which may be designed for turning the wheels of a vehicle or automobile or any other machinery.

The gears or unit having direct engagement with the end of the power shaft is designated A and will be termed the reversing gears or unit While the succeeding unit and the one having direct engagement with the driven shaft is designated B and will be termed the speed gears or unit although it is to be understood that the reversing gears also play a part in determining the speed which is transmitted, and the driven shaft of unit A forms the driving shaft of unit B.

The complete mechanism is mounted upon a base 12 supporting a frame 18 and while any form of operating levers may be provided for the clutches of each unit, there are herein illustrated similar levers M and 15 for. operating respectively units A and B. A segment-shaped guide frame 16 is mounted upon the frame 13 andhas the levers 14 and 15 pivoted to a bottom lug 17 thereof and upon a single pin 18, while the levers extending upwardly pass through parallel slots 19 in the curved top of the guide frame for allowing pivotal movement of the levers therethrough as positioned side by side. The normal-position ofthelevers is illustrated. in Fig. 1 and at which times oppositely positioned hooks '20 inwardly tensioned by the expansion spring 21 are adapted toengage and slightly maintain the levers so positioned while it is noted that the inner edges 22 'of the hooks 20 are beveled for al lowing the levers to be moved forwardly by slight force exerted thereon through the hands of the operator in the gear clutch manipulating operations.

The construction and operation of the complete device will now be described and the manner in which (1) normal positioning of both levers results in low speed ahead; (2) a normal positioning of lever 14 and a forward positioning of lever 15 results in transmitting engine speed or high speed bearing 34 thereof and has its opposite ends v .37 secured to the said ring 31 whereby this ahead; a forward positioning of lever 14 and a normal positioning of lever 15 results in reverse low speed while (4) the positioning of both levers 14 and 15 forwardly results in reverse high speed, will be set forth in detail.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the complete elements being illustrated in Fig. 1, the same are found in their normal positions and resulting in a transmission'of low speed ahead between the driving and driven shafts and at a ratio of about one revolution of the driven shaft'to every pulley 24 and having a ring 31 secured to its inner ends 32.- A central post 33 of the gear frame has a horizontal bearing 34 in which is journaled a stub shaft 35. A companion bar 36 to the said bar 29 is journaled upon the stub shaft 35 and adjacent the ring is journaled for-revolution upon the said power and stub shafts, which shafts are in accurate longitudinal alinement. Arcuate clutch blocks 38 are positioned at "diametrically opposite points between the pulley 24 and thefixed ring 28, the said blocks being resiliently supported upon the bar ends 30 by means of flexible strips or 1 springs39 secured to the said ends and blocks as best illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The blocks 38 are adapted to be moved into engagement with either the pul- I ley 24 or the ring 28 by means of the hand lever l4 through the agency of rods '40 which pass through the said blocks and have their inner angular ends 41 extending through the ring 31 and retained from being removed by means of pins 42. The outer ends of the rods are connected by means of links 43 with a clutch collar 44 slidably positioned upon the power shaft and having a groove 45 for receiving the forked end 46 of the clutch lever 47, the upper end of which lever is pivotally connected to the operating lever 14 by the rod 48.

A pinion 49 is secured to the end of the I stub shaft 35 adjacent to the bar 36 while an internal gear 50 is eccentrically mounted exteriorly of said pinion and adapted to be in constant mesh therewith, said gear being rigidly secured to the spider 51 which is journaled upon the eccentrically positioned stub axle 27 heretofore described. A pluand the bar 36 and permit relatively eccentric gyrations as best illustrated in Fig. 4, the said pins having their shorter ends 53 journaled through the free ends of the arms of the spider 51 and their longer ends 54 journaled through the ring 31 and strap housings 55 carried in spaced relations on the inner face of the said ring and being equal in number and of the same spacing apart as the said spider arms. It will be seen from this description that with the lever 14 normally positioned, the clutch collar 44 willbe in its normal outward position and at which time the blocks 38 will be held engaging the periphery of the pulley 24 which by reason of the carrying rods 40 of said blocks will lock the ring 31 to the pulley by reason of the fact that the ends 41 of said rods are secured to the ring 31. The simultaneous movement of the pulley and the ring 31 carries the spider 51 and its gear 50 therewith and without relative rotation. The meshing of the gear 50 with the pinion. 49 therefore connects up the stub shaft 35 with the said gear spider, pulley and ring 31 so that the entire mechanism so clutched together revolves with the power shaft and at engine speed. With the lever 14 normally positioned asshown in Fig. 1 the stub shaft 35 is therefore always re-- I volved at engine speed and such speed isordinarily employed in automobiles as high speed.

lVhen the lever 14 is forwardly positioned, the clutch collar 44 will be moved inwardly thus forcing outwardly the blocks 38 and releasing the pulley 24 but in turn engaging the said blocks at opposite points within the fixed ring 28. Such a clutching up of the blocks'with the ring 28 fixes the ring 31 as well as the bar 29 against revolution. The free movement of the (pulley ,under the power of the engine shaft carries the eccentric axle 27 in a, circular path and allows the spider 51 to shift bodily in a uniform path around within the ring 31 by means of the crank pins 52 but without revolving and this circular bodily shifting of the gear 50' while in mesh with'the pinion '49 imparts a reverse revolution to the stub ra'lity of crank pins 52 connect the spider 51 a pinion 56 is ournaled eccentric of the stub shaft and upon the offset end 57 the said pinion 56 being rigidly secured to a spider 58which is also journaled upon the said offset end 57. An internal gear 59 is fixed upon the inner end 60 of the driven shaft 11 which is in accurate longitudinal alinement with both the stub shaft 35 and the power shaft 10. A ring 61 is journaled by means of a hub 62 upon the driven shaft end 60 and is provided with equally spaced apart bearing tubes 63 for journaling crank pins 64 which have their inner angular ends 65 journaled through the outer ends 66 of the arms of the spider 58. A bar 67 is journaled upon the stub shaft 35 between the bearing 34 and the gear 56 and has its opposite ends 68 secured adjacent the periphery of the ring 61 there by spanning the spider 58 which is capable of gyratory movement therebeneath and unobstructed thereby. A clutch sleeve 69' is slidably mounted upon the driven shaft 11 and is pivotally connected by the links 70 to clutch levers 71 which are pivoted to posts 72 upon the base 12 and frame top 13 respectively, while engaging blocks 73 are provided upon the free ends of the levers 71 and are adapted to engage the ring 61 when the sleeve 69 is normally positioned as illustrated in Fig. 1 with the operating lever 15 positioned rearwardly, the operative connection between the lever 15 and the sleeve 69 being through the links 74 and 75, the latter being pivoted as at 76 to the collar and having its lower end pivoted to a post 77 of the base.

Clutch shoes 78 of the form illustrated in Fig. 7 are provided with spaced lugs 79 which are extended through the inner flange S0 of the ring 61 and are engaged by pins 81 whereby the shoes 7 8 are pivotally mounted at diametrically opposite points upon the rim and projecting inwardly with their curved inner faces 82 substantially parallel and normally slightly spaced from the adj acent peripheral portions of the internal gear 59. The shoes 7 8 are provided with angular rear extensions 83 which areconnected to a clutch collar 84 by pivoted links 85, it being noted that the collar 84 is shiftable with the clutch sleeve 69 but is capable of independent rotation and is retained in its position adjacent the sleeve 69 upon the driven shaft 60 by means of engaging clips 86.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 the stub shaft 35 is adapted to revolve-at engine speed as hereinbefore described and being provided with the relatively small pinion 56 keyed 011 its offset end 57 and eccentrically within the gear 59, such a revolving of the stub shaft results in turning the gear 59 and the driven shaft 11 secured thereto; It will be noted that this movement of the pinion 56 is gyratory and is permitted by the crank pins 6 which by reason of the locking of the ring 61 prevents a rotation of the spider 58 and its pinion 56. It will be thus noted that the eccentric mounting and consequent movement of the pinion 56 in unit B is similar to that of the reversing gear 50 in unit A. The movement thus imparted tothe driven shaft will be relatively low speed by reason of the driving pinion 56 being of less diameter than the driven gear 59 and the driven shaft will make substantially one revolution during fourteen revolutions of the stub shaft. It will thus be seen that with both levers normally positioned, the unit A providing no change whatever between the stub shaft and power shaft, the complete result is low speed ahead. By moving forwardly the lever 14 the clutch blocks 73 are released from the ring 61 while the clutch shoes 78 are brought into engagement with the periphery of the gear 59, which thus holds the gear 59 to the ring 61 which ring being connected to the gear spider 58 by the crank pin 65 necessitates a turning of said spider 58 and its pinion 56 with the gear 59 to which the ring 61 is thus locked. From this positioning of the elements of unit B, its members being locked together, the driven shaft 11 will be revolved at the same speed as the stub shaft 35.

To sum up the complete operations of the device as -controlled by the levers 14 and 15 it will be seen that in operation numbered 1, both levers are normally positioned, resulting in holding the A gears for imparting engine speed to the stub shaft while B gears are positioned for operating, thus changing the speed of the driven shaft to low speed forward at the ratio of one revolution of the driven shaft to fourteen revolutions of the engine shaft. In operation 2, lever 14 is normal and 15 is forward, which results in the holding of gears A for imparting engine speed to the stub shaft and also in a holding of gearsB which results in the imparting of engine speed to the driven shaft and being high speed ahead. In operation 3, lever 1 1 is moved forward and lever 15 is normal which allows the A gears to work for reversing the direction of the stub shaft at a. reduced speed and the B gears being also operating the result is a further lowered reverse speed of the driven shaft and at a ratio of about one revolution to fifty revolutions of the engine shaft. In the fourth position with both of the levers forward, the A gears operate to reverse at reduced speed the direction of the stub shaft while the Bgears are held stationary so that the driven shaft revolves with the stub shaft or high speed reverse and at a ratio of about one revolution of the driven shaft to four revolutions of the engine shaft. It will thus be seen that a compact efficient mechanism is provided whereby two different speeds ahead and reverse are obtained and it will be noted that in applying the device to an automobile or other mechanism, any number of speeds desired may be obtained by adding further sets of similar units while the amount of speed change varies not in 'ratio to the number of sets but in multiples of that number. One essential of the invention is the mounting of the internal gear to oscillate or gyrate in unit A effecting reversals at a changed speed, while the pinion 56 is similarly mounted in unit B effecting a change of speed and lowering the same.

It will be understood that differentratios between the meshing gears herein illustrated may be provided as desired while the types of clutches illustrated may be changed, itbeing only essential to provide an operable holding and releasing means.

While the forms of the invention herein shown and described are what are believed to be preferable embodiments thereof, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made in the form, proportion and details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Vhat I claim as new is 1. A device of the class described comprising in combination with an engine shaft and a driven shaft, changed speed mechanism journaled concentric with said shafts and operatively connected thereto and comprising a stub shaft between said shafts 1n accurate alinement therewith.

2. In combination with an engine shaft and a driven shaft in alinement therewith, of speed changing reversing means operatively connecting the said shafts and eccentrically journaled with respect thereto and comprising a stub shaft between said shafts in accurate alinement therewith.

3. In combination with an engine shaft and a driven shaft, a pulley upon said engine shaft and a pinion upon said driven shaft, an internal gear eccentrically journaled upon said pulley and in constant mesh with said pinion and means for controlling the direction of movement of said gear.

4. In combination with an engine shaft and a driven shaft, a pulley upon said engine shaft and .a pinion upon said driven shaft, an internal gear eccentrically journaled upon said pulley and in constant mesh with said pinion, a ring having journaled engagement with both of said shafts, crank pins extending between said ring and gear support, and means for holding said ring stationary to control the direction of move ment of said gear.

5. In combination with a power shaft and a driven shaft, a pulley upon said power stub axle eccentrically positioned upon said pulley, a gyrating gear journaled upon said axle and in constant mesh with said pinion and means for locking said pulley and gear together against relative movement.

6. In combination with a power'shaft, a pulley concentrically secured thereto, a projecting stub axle eccentrically mounted upon said pulley, a driven shaft in axial alinement with said power shaft, a. pinion concentrically secured to said driven shaft, a spider journaled upon said axle for gyratory movement relative to said pulley, and an internal gear fixed to said spider in constant mesh with said pulley.

7. In combinationwith a power shaft, a pulley concentrically secured thereto, a pro jecting stub axle eccentrically mounted upon said pulley, a driven shaft in axial alinement with said power shaft, a pinion concentrically secured to said driven shaft, a spider journaled upon said axle forgyratory movement relativeto said pulleypan internal gear fixed to said spider in constant mesh with said pulley, a ringconcentric with said pinion, separate bars secured to the opposite sides of said'i'ing and journaled upon said engine and driven shafts, connecting crank pins journaled in said ring and spider, and means for. locking said ring to said pulley at will.

S. In combination with a power shaft, a pulley concentrically secured tliereto,a projecting stub axle eccentrically mounted upon said. pulley, a driven shaft in axial alinement with said power shaft, a pinion concentrically secured to said driven shaft, a spider journaled' upon said axle for gyratory movement relative to said pulley, an internal gearfixed to said spider in constant mesh with said pinion, a ring concentric with said pinion, separate bars secured to the opposite sides of said ring and journaled upon said engine and driven shafts, connecting crank pins journaled. in said ring and spider, a fixed ring concentric and spaced from said pulleyfelutch blocks oppositely positioned between said pulley and fixed ring, clutch rods projecting through said blocks and secured to said first named ring, and actuating means to move said blocks into engagement with said fixed ring. i Y

9. In combination with a driving shaft having an offset extension, a pinion mounted upon said extension, a driven shaft, an internal gear fixed to said driven shaft and in constant mesh with said pinion, and releasable locking means between said gear and plnion.

10. In combination with a driving shaft and a driven shaft, an intermediate stub shaft, a speed change gear eccentrically journaled upon said stub shaft and operatively shaft, a pinion upon said driven shaft, a

connected to said driven shaft and operative connections between said driving. and stub shafts.

11. In combination with a driving shaft having an offset extension, a pinion journaled upon said extension, a spider journaled upon said extension and fixed to said pinion, a driven shaft, an internal gear secured to said driven shaft and in constant mesh with said pinion, a ring journaled upon said driven shaft, tubular bearings spaced apart and projecting from said ring, crank pins journaled in said bearings, and having their inner ends journaled in said spider and means for holding said journaled ring stationary to render the crank pins operable whereby the gear is given a different movement.

12. In combination with a driving shaft having an oflset extension, a gear j ournaled upon said extension, a spider j ournaled upon said extension and fixed to said gear, a driven shaft, an internal gear secured to said driven shaft and in constant mesh with said gear, a ring journaled upon said driven shaft, tubular bearings spaced apart and projecting from said ring, crank pins journaled in said bearings, and having their inner ends journaled in said spider, a brake for said ring and a clutching means between the said ring and internal gear.

13. A low speed reversing mechanism comprising in combination With an engine shaft and a driven shaft, and a stub shaft positioned therebetween, operative connections between said engine shaft and one end of said stub shaft, the said stub shaft having its opposite end offset, and speed reducing means between said offset end and said driven shaft.

14. In combination with axially alined power, stub and driven shafts, a pulley upon said power shaft, a pinion upon the adjacent end of said stub shaft, an oscillating internal gear eccentric with said pinion and in constant mesh therewith and eccentrically journaled to said pulley, combined pulley engaging and stop means for said gear and operative connections between the other end of said stub shaft and driven shaft.

15. Gear mechanism including a driving and a driven shaft, a pulley fixed to said driving shaft, a spider eccentrically journaled on said pulley, a supporting ring mounted on said driven shaft, a pinion car ried by said driven shaft, an internally toothed gear carried by said spider and in constant mesh with said pinion, connecting means between said ring and spider, a brake member, means adapted to engage the pulley for holding the spider and ring relatively immovable whereby to cause said gear and pinion to revolve in unison, said means being shiftable into engagement with the brake member for holding said supporting ring stationary whereby the spider and gear carried thereby are given a gyratory movement to impart a reverse movement'to said pinion.

16. Gear mechanism including a driving and a driven shaft, an internally toothed gear and pinion supported on said shafts, a clutch block for causing said gear and pinion to revolve in unison, said block being shiftable and means for holding said block stationary for causing said gear to gyrate whereby movement of the pinion is reversed.

17. Gear mechanism including a driving and a driven shaft, meshing gears supported on said shafts, means associated with said gears for causing the gears to revolve in unison, and a brake element, a part of the saidmeans being shiftable for engagement with-the brake element to cause one of said gears to gyrate to impart reverse movement to the other gear.

18. Gear mechanism including a driving and a driven shaft, a pulley fixed to said driving shaft, a brake ring associated with said pulley, clutch blocks arranged between said pulley and brake ring, meshing gears supported by said pulley and driven shaft, and means associated with said gears and clutch blocks whereby said blocks are caused to selectively engage the pulley or brake ring to cause the gears to revolve in unison or to impart a gyratory movement to one of said gears to cause a reverse movement of the other.

19. Gear mechanism including a driving and a driven shaft, a pulley mounted on said driving shaft, a brake ring spaced outwardly of the pulley, a spider eccentrically mounted on said pulley, an internally toothed gear carried by said spider, a pinion and supporting ring mounted on said driven shaft, connections between said ring and spider, and shiftable means associated with said pulley and brake ring whereby the in ternally toothed gear is caused to either revolve in unison with the pinion or gyrate to impart a reverse movement to the pinion.

20. Speed reducing mechanism including a driving shaft having an off-set extension and a driven shaft, a spider carried by said off-set extension, a pinion carried by said off-set extension and fixed to said spider, an internally toothed gear mounted on said driven shaft, a supporting ring journaled on said driven shaft, shiftable means adapted to engage the internally-toothed gear for causing said pinion and gear to revolve in unison, and means adapted to engage said ring for holding said ring stationary whereby the pinion is given a gyratory movement to impart a reduced rate of travel to the internally toothed gear.

21. Speed reducing mechanism comprising in combination with a driving shaft having an off-set extension and a rotatable and non-translatable driven shaft, a pinion v shaft.

22. Speed reducing mechanism including a driving and a driven shaft, a pinion mounted on said driving shaft, an internally toothed gear mounted on saiddriven shaft in constant mesh with said pinion, means en-- gaging-the gear for holding the pinion and gear relatively immovable to cause the same to revolve in unison, means for caus ng said pinionto gyrate when the aforesa d means is released from the gear to reduce the speed of travel of the driven gear.

23. Speed reducing mechanism including a driving shaft and a driven shaft, an ofi-set extension carried by the driving shaft, a: pinion and spider mounted on said off-set extension, an internallytoothed gear carried by said driven shaft and in constantmesli with said pinion, a ring journaled on, said driven shaft, crank pins connecting ring and spider, means adapted to engage the gear for holdingthe gear and pinion relatively immovable whereby to cause said pinion and gear to revolve in unison, and means adapted to engage said ring for holding said ring stationary whereby the crank pins and spider impart a gyratory movement to said pinion to reduce the speed of travel of the driven shaft. c

24:, Gear mechanism including a driving shaft and a driven shaft, an intermediate shaft in axial alinement therewith, a pinion carried by each end of the intermediate shaft, internally toothed gears in constant mesh with said pinion and associated with the inner ends of the driving and driven Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents;

shafts, a brake ring arranged adjacent the end of the driving shaft, independently operating means arranged adjacent the inner ends of the driving and driven shafts for causing the pinions and gears to revolve in unison, a part of the said means adjacent the driving shaft being shiftable for engagement with the brake ringifor causing the internally toothed gear adjacent the driving shaft to gyrate to impart a reverse movement to the pinion meshing therewith, and means for causing the pinion supported on the end of the intermediate shaft adjacent the driven shaft to gyrate to reduce the speed of travel of the driven shaft when the aforesaid means for causing the gears adjacent the intermediate and driven shafts to revolve in unison is moved to'inoperative position. c r

25. Speed reducing mechanism includinga driving shaft having an off-set extension and a driven shaft, a pinion on said ofi-set extension and a spiderassociated with said pinion, an internally-toothed gear on said driven shaft, brake shoes adapted to engage said internally-toothed gear to cause the pin ion and gear to revolve in unison, and means associated 7 With said pinion and spider whereby the said spider is given a gyratory movement to reduce the speed of travel of the driven shaft.

26. Gear mechanism including a driving and a driven shaft, an internally toothed gear and pinion supported on the adjacent shaft ends, a brake element, means for cans ing said pinion and gear to revolve in unison, apart of the'saidmeansbeing shiftable into engagement with the brakeelement for.

causing said pinion to gyrate whereby the shaft is given a reverse movement.

testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH R. SCHULTE. \Vitriesses:

Erii'nn'r'n M. GRAU, E. DIEHLL 7 Washington, D. G. 

